An Authentic, Sometimes Gritty, and Always Hopeful Blog for All Who Live with Severe Physical Pain

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Dr Ben Carson, a New Hero? Continued...

Dr. Carson, who never gives up on me or America

...continued "Dr Ben Carson, Speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast, A New Hero?" Part 2

Note: This is a (very belated--haven’t been able to write because of pain) continuation of my last blog about Dr. Ben Carson, who spoke at the National Prayer Breakfast in February and is being haled as America's "new hero". I have considered Dr. Carson my hero for many years. Regardless of whether you lean towards liberal or conservative politics, I believe you will find my perspective on Dr. Carson's character inspirational.

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2 - Dr. Carson is more concerned with getting things done well or doing what is right than with being popular.

Dr. Carson has never sought the limelight that he is getting now. When he spoke strongly about issues of America, knowing that two seats away from him sat someone who disagreed with him, President Obama, he wasn’t trying to create a news frenzy. When asked about it, Dr. Carson said that he did not anticipate that so many would be calling him a celebrity for his words, when all he did was “make some common-sense remarks.”

Despite Dr. Carson’s lack of concern about being approved by others, he is loved by those who know him best. At Johns Hopkins, he is, in a word, “revered”. People step aside when they see him coming, in honor of him. Of course, Dr. Carson is oblivious to this, moving without hurry through the halls, a pleasant expression on his face.

3 - Dr. Carson assumes responsibility for himself, his family, his work, and his country.

Dr. Carson learned from his mother that personal satisfaction and wonderful sense of self-respect that is gained when one works hard, when she refused to accept any government support despite their poverty. He also learned that everyone suffers, and that God can change our worst ways of feeling and behaving, experiencing his mother’s depression, and being saved from a totally different course, when the blade of the knife he thrust into a fellow student when they argued, broke off on the young man’s belt buckle, rather than plunging into his belly. He took responsibility for his anger, seeking help in God’s word, as did his mother for her depression, who admitted herself to the hospital.

The value of doing what is right and good mattered so much to Dr. Carson’s mother, that rather than telling her sons to “Be safe,” before they left the house, as do most parents, she told them, “Be good”. I’ll bet he carried on that tradition.

4 - No matter the circumstance, Dr. Carson, chooses to live each day with a sense of hope and a positive outlook.

Although my illness can be managed somewhat by surgery, medication and various medical and alternative therapies, the reality is that it is incurable. Even under Dr. Carson’s gifted hands, my pain didn’t go away after the two surgeries he performed. (He had never promised me that it would.)

When severe pain showed up after my third surgery, my husband and I sat down with Dr. Carson and his PA, Carol James again. Even though I was pretty sure my surgical options were kaput, my eyesight still went blurry when they confirmed this to be true.

I began to cry, asking this question when I could speak,Is this how I must accept my life to be then?”

Dr. Carson, leaned across the table, and placed his rough, overly-scrubbed surgeon hands on my arm. I looked at his face, and didn’t see a world-famous neurosurgeon. Instead, I saw a man who had experienced deep and wide suffering to an extent that I could never imagine. Yet, even so, I saw a face full of compassion for me, Judi Coleman, as though I was the only one who mattered.

He spoke directly and simply, “Judi, you must never, ever, ever give up. There will always be another door you can walk through.”

Dr. Carson gave me hope again on that day. Even though he has seen more death, suffering, and injustice than most of us can possibly imagine, his capacity to care and to have and give hope flows like a river that will never run dry. Because that is just what it is--a river of living water just like Jesus spoke about in John 7.

3 comments:

Judi-THANK YOU--for sharing Dr. Carson with us-allowing all to "look in" at moments in your life that were filled with both tremendous physical and emotional PAIN.

His words to you "You must NEVER, EVER, EVER give up" stirred emotions deep within me~~finding out you must live with Chronic Pain and then your Doctor placing the most simple, yet profound WORDS of HOPE & CHALLENGE in front of you--powerful moment in your life-I can't find all I wish to say, sitting here and dealing with my own Pain issues...

I am loaded with emotion right now--but know how Much I love you Judi!! God will show us the way. Martha

You had shared Dr. Carson's words to never give up in an earlier writing. I can't tell you how many times I have thought of them in some of my most painful moments. To hear them from someone so knowledgeable truly does bring hope. I'm so glad you were able to know personally such a great man, who is not only a great neurosurgeon but also a committed Christian,Thanks for encouraging those of us in pain! Knowing that you walk in the same shoes makes your messages more powerful. Have a blessed Easter.Love,Bronwyn

Martha and Ginigirl-- How you encourage me! I cannot even say. It's amazing, isn't it, how we, who are weak with pain, are strong together? Because of God. We will find the way to carry on, never, ever, ever giving up. love to you both and to all who suffer, at Easter. Our most amazing holiday, for we are set free from being forever in pain!